Picture-hanger



W. G. TIDBALL.

PICTURE HANGER.

No. 445,305. Patented Jan; 27,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEICE.

\VALTON (l. TIDBALL, OF BROOKLYN, NFAV YORK.

PlCTURE-HANGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,305, dated January 27, 1891.

Application filed February 4, 1890. Serial No. 339.207. (No model.

To all when it may concur/1.;

Be it known that I, \VALTON U. TIDBALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Picture-Hanger, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention consists of two cross-arms of metal wire, secured together at their middle points at any desired angle to each other, and furnished at their ends with extension bars, so that the hanger as a whole may be adjusted to receive pictures of different sizes and shapes within certain limits. The outer ends of the extension-bars are fitted with spring-clamps, by which means the picture is held securely at its four corners. Altogether it furnishes a simple, convenient, and artistic method of hanging paper pictures of all kinds and sizes, such as lithographs, chromographs, photograveurs, wood and steel engravin gs, water-colors, &c.

For the details of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l isa rear view of the entire hanger. Fig. 2 is a side view of eross-arm A at the middle, showing method of securing crossarms together. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the friction-clamp. Fig. 4 is a detail view of outer end of extension-bar and spring-clamp.

As will be seen by Fig. 1, the cross-arms are each composed of two parallel wires held together at different points by straps or blocks of metal. In one arm A these wires are parallel throughout its entire length. In the drawings this arm is supposed to be on top or in front of the other arm B. The latter arm has one of its main wires bent at the middle, so as to form an arc of a circle, as at O. The other wire is bent so as to form the loop D, the inside of which should be the central point of the whole arrangement. The

object of both of these bends is to furnish a means of securely fastening the cross-arms together at any desired angle to each other. Fig. 2 illustrates 110w this is accomplished, which is by means of the clamp-lever E. This lever is in the rear of the hanger, and is made fast at one of its ends to the block F by means of a pin and hinge-post- G. The

other end is also secured to a similar hingepost in the block H; but in this case the pin I is removable at pleasure, thus allowing of that end of the lever being raised, as indicated by the dotted lines. The middle of the lever is provided with the pin J, which should fit snugly into the loop D, Fig. 1. Also, when the lever is fastened down, it should press with considerable force upon the are wire G, as shown in Fig. 2. This arrangement binds the two arms securely at any angle, and also serves as a brace for the same, tending to prevent bending or breaking at that portion of the hanger naturally subjected to the greatest strain while being handled or in actual use. The are wire should be slightly indented or notched where it comes in contact with the main wires of the other cross-arms, so as to secure a better hold. The extension-bars L each pass through and are held in place by the two straps M and N, the latter one also serving as a stop to prevent the friction-clamp 0 from being drawn beyond that point. This clamp is composed of two separate pieces held together by a screw, as shown in Fig. 3. To the front piece the end of the extension-bar is made fast, and the screw P passes through both, being spread a little at its end, so that it cannot come out entirely. At 1 and 2 the clamp grips the main wires of the cross-arm. ience in adjusting the hanger, the screw P is furnished with an enlarged or milled head, by which means the clamp may be eased up and moved along the wires to any desired point and there tightened. The outer end of the extension-bar is provided with the spring clamp R and ornamental attachment S. Fig.& is a side view of the same. The clamp is secured in the rear to the extension-bar by rivets or 'screws, makes a curve around in front, and presses with considerable force against the bar. It is by this means that the picture is held at its corners. The end of the spring-clamp in front is turned up so as to make a hook, to which may be attached at pleasure an ornamental piece of any desired shape or size. In fact, the ornamental attachment may be suificiently large to cover over the spring-clamp entirely, if so desired.

For conven- To insert a picture, the latter is spread out, face down, the hangerlaid over it, front down, its center over the central point of the picture'. The extension-bars are then moved out nntiltheir ends are even with the extreme corners of the picture and clamped fast. The clamp-lever at the center is also fastened down, thus holding the cross-arms at the proper angle. Both picture and hanger are then turned face up, the corners of the picture inserted under the springs, and the Whole stretched tight. To hang it up, rings or hooks are fastened in the rear to the strap M, to vvhich a cord may be tied, and the Whole arrangement suspended in the usual manner.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. ,In a picture-hanger, the main cross-arms A B, formed of Wire, there being a loop D and are wire C on one of the cross-arms, in combination with the hinged clamp-lever having a pin passing into the loop and adapted to clamp the arc Wire, substantially as set forth.

2. The "picture-hanger having main crossarms connected together at the center and adapted to be held at any desired angle to each other, in combination with the extension-bars L and clamping devices for holding the extension-bars to the main cross-arms, and spring-clips at the ends of the extensionbars for receiving the corners of the picture, substantially as set forth.

WALTON C. TIDBALL.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. DUNN, HARRY J. QWENS. 

